Electric clock winding mechanism.



. PATENTEDPBB.18, 1908. A. TRILKE. ELECTRIC CLOCK WINDING MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1905,

ADOLF TRILKE, OF EIMSBUTTEL, NEAR HAMBURG, GERMANY.

ELECTRIC CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed December 21. 1905- Serial No. 292K794.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLF TRILKE, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 47 Viesenstrasse, Eimsbiittel, near Hamburg, Germany, have invented new and useful Improved Electric Clock Ninding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrical 1o winding device for combined clock and wheel by a weight lever, to be effected with one single contact and with only one electromagnet.

According to the present invention, the

armature of the electromagnet is provided for the above purpose with a single lifting arm, which engages beneath the weight levers. These levers operate individually in the usual manner by means of ratchet mechanism for the purpose of driving the several trains respectively and in their descent cause the said lifting arm together with the armature to be moved into a position, wherein the electrical switch device forms the contact for the electromagnet circuit, so that the electromagnet attracts the armature and effects the winding by means of the lifting arm. In order to obviate a troublesome reiteration of the contact make and break by recoil action, the armature is adapted to be arrested by a special locking lever, which is releasable by each of the weight levers in their descent and in advance of the operation of the switch device. The switch device, which is adapted to be employed with the winding mechanism 4.0 according to the present invention, may be of any construction suitable for the purpose in question; an improved construction of the switch device based on the known principle of the starswitch is, however, preferably used, the details of which will be described later on.

The accompanying drawing shows a weight-lever operated combined going and striking train with details necessary for explaining the invention.

Figure 1 is a rear view, in which the greatest part of the rear frame plate is omitted for showing the mechanism; Fig. 2 is a front elevation for showing the striking train; Fig. 3

is an end elevation as seen from the left in 'Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail of the star-switch;

Fig. 5 shows the star operated switch device in an end view on an enlarged scale; Fig. 6 is a detailed rear view of the combined ratchet and driving wheel showing the detent spring.

a s designates the poles of the electromagnet (Fig. 1) between which the armature a oscillates on the axis 0. The armature a or its oscillating axis 0 has a bifurcated bracket 7), which is provided with two tappets a, y and operates the hereinafter described switch device with star connection, Regarding the operation of the latter, it may here be stated that the contact in the circuit of the electromagnet n s is made as soon as the armature a is in an oscillating position as indicated in Fig. 1, and that the contact is afterwards broken when the armature oscillates upwards in consequence of the electromagnet action.

The memberf protruding from the end of the armature (1 forms the lifting arm, by means of which the winding of the weight levers i and belonging to the going train and striking train is effected. For this pur pose, the said arm f extends transversely within the oscillating path of both weight levers i and which are arranged side by side (Fig. 3). The latter act by their pawls m and w according to the usual construction, one on a combined ratchet and driving wheel g g and the other on a similar combined ratchet and driving wheel h h; the going" train of the clock is driven from the wheels 9 g and the striking train from the wheels h h, which latter may be arranged after the manner of the usual rack striking train as shown in Fig. 2. The operation and releasing action of this striking train need not be described.

Beneath the two weight levers i is mounted a spring-actuated locking lever r, the longer arm of which engages with the said lever through the medium of two studs 1" T The shorter arm of the lever forms a latch, which in the position shown in dotted lines, locks the armature, a.

The two levers i cooperate with the lift ing arm in the following manner, it being immaterial which of both levers is or whether both are simultaneously subjected to the winding action. When during the running down of the train, the weight lever 1' begins to descend into the position indicated in Fig. 1, it releases the locking lever 1" beyond the end of the armature a while coming in contact with the stud r; as the lever 71 bears on the arm f the released armature a gradually descends until it assumes the oscillating pos1t1on as lndicated, wherein the switch devlce (in consequence of partial rotation of the star u by means of the bracket 6) makes contact. Consequently, the electromagnet n s will be excited and effect the operative oscillatory movement of the armature a. Thus the Winding of both weight levers takes place no matter in which intermediate posi tion either of the levers is met by the arm f moving in the direction indicated by the arrow (Fig. 1'). The locking lever r, for which vis arranged a stop if limiting the amplitude of oscillation, prevents in the event of a recoil movement, the armature a from accidentally making contact. The winding mechanism therefore acts simultaneously with one armature for both weight levers. By a detent or counter-gear mechanism (Fig. 6) the operation of the ratchet and driving wheels g g and h h is maintained in the usual manner during the winding action. This detent mechanism comprises a weak spring is (Fig.

- 6), which is so arranged between the ratchet wheel (g) and driving wheel (g) that it tends to maintain the forward movement of the latter during the winding operation. The rearward movement of the ratchet wheel g or h is prevented by a pawl z.

The switch is arranged in the following special manner, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The four-jagged star u is turned at an angle of 90- in consequence of each forward and backward oscillatory movement of the arm I) by means of the tappets a: y. The contact disk 1; provided on its periphery with four notches is connected to the star u. The

make and break contact spring g acts with its contact pin e at the front side of the condisk 1),thereby breaking the circuit.

It is understood that the switch bracket 1) when oscillating into the position according to Fig. 1, drives by means of its ta pet y, the star u at an angle of 45. When t liis partial movement has been completed, the contact spring 9 assumes the contact position. Now, when by the excitation of the electromagnet as, a rocking movement of the armature takes place, its bracket 6 rotates by means of its tappet a; the star at the further angle of 45,

the direction being indicated by the arrow. Owing to the further turning movement, the contact between the pin e and the disk o is interrupted, which effect is produced by the above-described cooperation of the stud d with the disk 2;. By the arrangement of the locking lever 9", which is operated as previously described by the weight levers i acting on the studs 1 r respectively, provision is made for obviating any unintentional and reiterated function of the switch device.

It is obvious that the described mechanism can be employed for more than two weight levers, which have to drive their own trains and it is only necessary that all levers are arranged side by side in such a manner that they can be operated with one liftin arm. The useful purpose of the severa trains may be of a varied character; for instance, the first train may be the primary clock work and the second one may serve for the distribution of current impulses into a secondary clock work system.

Having now particularly described and as-.

certained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. In an electric clock winding mechanism, the combination with a plurality of wheel trains, of a swingingly mounted weighted lever for each of said wheel trains, an electromagnet, an oscillatory armature having a lifting arm extending into the path of travel of said weighted levers to be depressed thereby on the descent of the levers, and means 0 erated by the armature for making contact w en the armature descends to cause the electromagnet to oscillate the armature.

2. In an electric clock winding mechanism, the combination with a plurality of wheel trains, of a swingingly mounted weighted lever for each of said trains, an electromagnet and its circuit, an oscillatory armature having on one of its ends a lifting arm extending into the path of travel of said levers to be depressed thereby on the descent of the levers, and means operated by the armature whereby the circult is closed in the electromagnet when the lifting arm is deressed to cause the electromagnet to oscilate the armature and the circuit is broken when the lifting arm again ascends to lift the levers.

3. In an electric clock winding mechanism, the combination with a plurality of wheel trains, of a swingingly mounted weighted lever for each of said trains, an electromagnet and its circuit, an oscillatory armature having on one of its ends a lifting arm extending into the path of travel of said levers to be depressed thereby on the descent of the levers, means operated by the armature whereby the circuit is closed in the electromagnet when the lifting arm is depressed to cause the electromagnet to oscillate the armature and the circuit is broken when the lifting arm again ascends to lift the levers, and a stop normally projecting into the path of the armature to prevent the lifting arm to descend to close the circuit and adapted to be Withdrawn by the descending levers to permit closing of the circuit.

4. In an electric clock winding mechanism, the combination with a plurality of wheel trains, of a weighted lever for each of said wheel trains, an electromagnet, an oscillatory armature having a lifting arm extending into the path of travel of the weighted levers to lift said levers, and a switch operated by said armature for closing and! breaking the circuit in the electromagnet in unison with the oscillations of the armature; l

said switch comprising a star ratchet disk, having cams, a contact spring in continuous contact with said disk, a second contact spring having an insulated stud engaging with the cams on the disk to cause the spring to make and break contact when the ratchet disk rotates.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLF TRILKE. l/Vitnesses:

OTTO W. HELLMRIGH,

IDA CHRIST. HAFERMAMY. 

